Separating and classifying apparatus



March 30, 1937.

VW. F'. LAESCH SEPARATING AND CLASSIFYING AP'PRATUS Filed May 1l, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 30, 1937.` w. P. LAEscH SEPARATING AND CLSSIFY'ING APPARATUS YFiled May 11,l 1935 lime/7151*:

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Patented Mar. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUS Walter Philip Laesch, Brighton, Colo., assignor to Horace Wills, Denver, Colo.

Application May 11, 1933, Serial No. 670,416

3 Claims.

` arate gold and other heavy metals from placer sands and ore pulps, and has as an object to provide an improved apparatus of the character described which is continuously and efficiently operable to separate and entrap the heavier particles from placer sands and ore pulps.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved separating .and classifying apparatus having a separating table arranged for continuous agitation with a motion having an im- 5 proved separatory eiect on the material passed thereover.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved separating and classifying apparatus having two simultaneously operable, separatory stages arranged to act successively on the material being treated.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved separatory table in a separating and classifying apparatus.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for actuating the separatory table of a separating and classifying apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction and arrangement of 0 elements in a separating and classifying apparatus whereby is produced a self-contained, lightweight, easily transportable unit having low initial and operating costs, long life and eliicient operation.

5 My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- 0 Figure 1 is a side elevation of one structural embodiment of the improved apparatus as assembled and ready for practical use. Figure 2 isa plan view of the showing of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail section, on an en- 5 larged scale, taken on the indicated line 3-3 of Figure 2, dotted lines indicating alternative p0- sitions of some of the elements of the apparatus. Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail section, on the same scale as Figure 3, taken on the in- 0 dicated line 4 4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is an end elevation, partly in section and on the same scale as Figures 3 and 4, taken on the indicated line 5-5 of Figure 1, certain elements of the assembly not essential to an understanding of the 55 operation of the apparatus shown being omitted for the sake of clarity. Figure 6 is a plan view of an adjustable eccentric employed in the assembly. Figure 7 is a side elevation of the showing of Figure 6.

In the construction of the improvement as shown, complementary, skeletonized, rectangular frames II] and II, formed of any suitable material in any desired manner and having lengths greater than their heights, are disposed in spaced, parallel relation and interconnected in any suitable manner, as for instance by means of transverse straps I2, to form a rigid frame' constituting the base of the apparatus. Within the base formed as above described and fixed thereto, is mounted a power generating or transmitting device, such as a jack-shaft, electric motor or internal-combustion engine, the latter being indicated at I3 in the drawings, anda water pump, of any suitable type, indicated by the numeral I4, is fixed within the base adjacent and in driven relation with the power unit I3. Mounted for rotation about its axis, a shaft I5 is vertically-disposed adjacent one end of the base frame and suitably supported by means of bearings carried by the transverse straps I2, said bearings preferably being so positioned as to mount the shaft I5 on the longitudinal median line of the base frame, a suitable pulley IIibeing fixed to the intermediate portion of the shaft I5 and operatively connected with the power unit I3. The shaft I5 is arrested somewhat below the upper bar of the base frame and is provided at its upper end with a flange or plate I'I centered on said shaft and rotatable therewith, to

which plate II is adjustably secured a similar plate I8 whereon is centered a perpendicularly related socket member I9, the arrangement of plates I'I and I8 being such as to ,permit adjustment of the spacing between centers of the shaft I5 and socket member I9 while maintaining said latter elements in axial parallelism. Any suitable specic construction and arrangement of the plates Il and I8 and their interconnecting elements may of course be employed to accomplish the desired end, that construction and arrangement shown in Figures 6 and '7 being simple and efficient and comprising straight, parallel side margins on opposite sides of the plate I'I and straight, parallel flanges on opposite sides of the plate I8 arranged to engage against and slide along the straight portions of the plate I1, bolts engaging through the plate I'I on opposite sides of the shaft I5 and through elongated slots in the plate I8 serving to firmly clamp said plates together, the torque transmitted from the Cil plate I'I to the plate I 8 acting through the flanges of said latter plate rather than through the bolts 20. It is of course obvious that the bolts 20 may be loosened to permit adjustment of the plate I8 on and relative to the plate |'I for variation in the spacing between centers of the shaft I5 and socket member |9 and subsequently tightened to maintain the spacing as set.

Supported by and above the base frame, a supplemental floating frame formed of spaced, parallel side members 2| and 22 interconnected by transverse members 23 and 24 is mounted and arranged for limited motion in a horizontal plane, anti-friction devices Y25 xed adjacent the corners of the base frame and engaging plate-like portions of the floating frame being shown asrone convenient and satisfactory means of supporting the latter from and relative to the former, though it is obvious that the speciiic supporting means may be varied structurally as may be desired. A stud 26 depends from the transverse member 23 midway the members 2| and 22 and has its lower end received in the socket member I3, thus linking one end of the floating frame to the shaft |5, and a relatively long stem 2l extends horizontallyfrom the transverse member 24 on the longitudinal median line 'of the floating frame, said stem 21 being slidingly received through a horizontal bearing 28 Vwhich is in turn pivotally mounted for actuation through horizontal arcs in a bearing 29 carried by the base frame, thus linking the adjacent end of the iioating frame to and for limited motion relative to the base frame. With the arrangement of elements shown and r described, it is apparent that when the socket member I9 is set eccentrically of the shaft I5 and the latter rotated, a rotary motion corresponding in radius to the amount of eccentricity in the socket member setting will be imparted 'to the end of the floating frame adjacent the stud 26 and the 'en'd of the floating frame adjacent the 'stem 21, will, by virtue of the linkage engaging said stem, `have motion through an oval orbit having 'a longitudinal axis equal to the diameter of the rotary motion at the other end of the frame, pointsof the floating frame intermediate its ends having orbits more or less oval in form and varying according to the exact position of.'

said points relative to the extreme orbits described.

`The 'transverse members 23 and 24 extend at each end beyond the adjacent side members 2| and 22, the extending portions of Vsaid transverse members being bent upwardly to vertical position along the side members and extending above the latter, as shown at 3G, the upwardly extending portions of said transverse members being provided with vertically opening slots Y3| vextending to the upper margins of the side members 2| andV 22. A 'table member formed with a bottom 32, sides 33 and 34, anda closed end 35 is arranged to be removably, adjustable and replaceably carried by the floating frame previously described, said table member having a width slightly less than the transverse spacing between corresponding vertical lugs 30 and a length somewhat greater than the longitudinal spacing between said lugs, said table member being provided with transverse supporting rods 36 extending laterally on each side of the table member and so spaced land arranged as to be received inthe slots 3| of the vertical lugs 30'and'be clamped `thereagainst by means of nuts 31 to rigidly clamp said table member in the desired relation with the iioating frame. Various alternative means may be employed to secure and position said table member relative to the floating frame, which means, however, should provide for relative elevation of either end of the table member, when desired, which adjustment is of course a function of the mounting shown and described. The table member is positioned with its open end adjacent the shaft I5 and related connections, sothat said open end of the table member is subjected to the maximum rotative motion imparted by said shaft. The bottom 32 'of the table member is not plane throughout its entire extent but is provided throughout its major portion with semispherical cups or recesses 38, formed in or lattached to said bottom 32 Ain any suitable manner, said cups or recesses 38 each merging in a smooth curve with the adjacent portions of the bottom member and presenting no sharp edges or rough angles. The cups or recesses 38 are preferably arranged in close proximity in some sultable pattern, it being preferable that adjacent cups be staggered longitudinally of the apparatus. Betweenthe open end of the table member and the most nearly adjacent row of cups or recesses 38 is disposed a transverse bar or riille 39, said bar or riille 39 being channeled on the side adjacent the cups or recesses 38 and arranged with oblique end portions extending angularly from a laterally disposed central portion and diverging toward the closed end of the table member until engagement with the side walls of the latter is ti had, thus completely obstructing the discharge end of 'the table member to an extent measured by the depth of the bar or riilie 39. The side members 2| and 22 of the floating frame are extended longitudinally beyond the base frame and terminate in corresponding upturned ends 2| vand 22', respectively, between the terminals whereof a bar 48 is horizontally disposed and journaled for rotation. Beneath the Aoverhang of the table member at vits open end, a rod 4| is mounted transversely between the members '2| and 22, on which rod ll is hingedly secured one margin of a housing 42 surrounding and supporting a shallow, circular pan 43, the latter preferably being formed as a depressed portion in the bottom of the housing v42 and being dished slightly so that its central portion is lower than its margin. The housing 42 has a width less than the spacing between the members 2| and 22 so that it may move freely therebetween, and a bar 44 pivotally mounted transversely fof the housing 42 beneath the bar 40, supports 'a threaded stem '45 'which risesloosely through a boss centrally of the 'bar' 40 to threaded engagement with a wheel nut 46, or similar device, bearing against said bar 4|) wheref by the vertical adjustment oi the housing 42 and pan 43 may :be manually controlled, dotted lines in Figure indicating the possible range of movement of said housing and pan about the pintle 41|. It is of course obvious that the mechanical arrangement for adjusting-and controlling the relative elevation of the housing 42 and pan `43 may be varied, and may-be made fully automatic by ratchet connection with the shaft I5, if desired, the -construction illustrated and 4described being but typical and presented in a simple and eilicient form. The overhanging relation of the discharge end -of the table member in respect of the housing '42 and -pan 443 permits material discharged from said table t'o -be received in said housing and pan for such further treatment as will be hereinafter described, while the mounting of the pan and housing on the iioating frame subjects said elements and their contents to the motion imported to said floating frame by the shaft I5 and its related elements. V

Removably and replaceably mounted on stand ards 41 rising from the base frame on either side of the closed end of the table member, a hopper 48 is positioned transversely of and abovesaid closed end of the table, saidvhopper preferably being formed with a sloping bottom converging inwardly and downwardly to a` central aperture within said hopper in position to wash material through the latter and onto the table beneath.

The apparatus assembled and arranged as shown and described may be employed as either a wet or dry machine in the treatment of placer sands and ore pulps for the extraction of values, according to the nature of the material being treated and the availibility of water. When used as a dry machine, the pump i4 is not operated and dry material is fed in any convenient manner to the hopper 48 whence it is gravity fed to the table member beneath while the floating frame, and consequently the table member, is actuated through the shaft' I5 by the power unit I3. The motion imparted to the table member may not be varied in character, but may be varied in amplitude by changing the eccentricity of the socket member I9 relative to the shaft I5, and may be varied in its effect on the material under treatment by variation in the speed of the shaft I5. As material is fed to the active table member, it spreads smoothly and evenly'over said table due to the character of the motion imparted to the latter, the heavier particles of the material being naturally shaken into the bottoms of the cups or recesses 38 where they are entrapped, whorls or circular eddies formed about each of said cups or recesses by virtue of the rotary motion of the table member aiding in concentrating the heavier particles in said depressions. When the table member has been filled with material to the depth of the bar or riiile 39, the lighter materials will escape over said element and discharge within the housing 42 and find their way into the pan 43, which latter,` being normally horizontally disposed and agitated, acts in the'nature of a manually operated gold pan and exerts a further separatory effect on the material to the end of capturing such values as may have escaped from the table member. The channeled character of the bar or riiiie 39 minimizes possibility of escape oi values from the table` member, since heavier particles coming against said member 39 may not rest there and build up to the point of escape, but, on the contrary, such particles enter the channel and are moved transversely of the table during the agitation of the latter until the par-y ticles 'are again thrown back under the infiuence of the recesses 38 through one or the other of the oblique portions of the element 39. Any suitable amalgamating agency, such as mercury, may be deposited in the recesses 38 to aid in the entrapment of the values, such expedients being common and well-known, and instead of being operated in a horizontal plane, one end or the other of the table member may be relatively elevated to enhance or retard the speed with whichl the material moves across said table. Whenused as a wet machine, the operation is in all respects the same as above set forth, save that the pump I4v is .operated to provide a continuous flow of water to and through the hopper4. After the apparatushasbeen operated the desired length of time, or when the recesses 38 are substantially filled with Values, the operation is arrested and the material accumulated in the recesses, usually consisting of values mixed with heavy black sands,` removed from the table and placed in the pan 43, a convenient method of effecting thisclean-up being to 4elevate the open end of l the table member and wash the accumulation thereon through a cleanout port 52 adjacent the closed end of said table and into a suitablecontainer, a jet operatively connected with the pump I4 throughgthegoutlet branch 53 of they latter facilitating this operation. It is of course apparent that an outlet passage for clean-up purposes may be provided leading through or under the riliie39, in which even the closed lend of the table member would be elevated. After the accumula- 7 tion from the recesses 38 has been deposited in the pan 43, the apparatus is again operated and the pan 43 with its housing 42 slowly lowered through the agencies previously described, this operation being continued until all gangue has beenr separated from the values, which latter remain in the angle formed between the pan 43 and its housing 42. In operative effect, each of the, recesses 38, as well as the pan 43, has the characteristics of the conventional prospectors gold pan, and the speed and amplitude of the table motion'can be so adjusted as to give a remarkably eicient separation and recovery on various types and characters of placer sands and ore pulps.

Since it is obvious that many changes and modifications in the specific form, construction and arrangement of the elements shown and described may be had without departing from the spirit of my invention, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invention- 1. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in operative combination, a fixed base, a frame carried by said base and movable horizontally thereof, pivotal means fixed to said base and slidingly engaging one end of said frame, rotatably-driven means carried by said base and eccentrically engaging the other end of said frame for transmission of circular motion in a horizontal plane thereto, a classifying table carried by said frame and positioned with its intake end adjacent said pivotal connection and its dis.- charge end adjacent the other end of said frame, means for feeding comminuted material to the intake end of said table, a circular, shallowlyconcaved, supplementary classifier hinged to and for agitation with the end of said frame beyond and in position to receive the material from the discharge end of said table,A and means engaging between said frame and said supplementary classifier to support and adjustably position the latter for actuation through a vertical arc relative to the former, whereby material fed to said table is subjected to uniform agitation longitudinally of the table and supplementary classier and to simultaneouslateral agitation increasing in amplitude as the material' approaches the discharge end of the apparatus;

2`. Apparatus of the character described comprising,A in operative combination, a fixed base; al frame carri-ed by said base and movable horizontally thereof, pivotal means xed to said base andslidingly engaging one end of said frame, rotatably-driven means carried by said base and eccentrical-ly engaging. the` other `end of said frame for transmission of circular motion in a horizontal plane thereto, a classifying table, formed with a plurality of closely adjacentsemispherical,` cups, carriedby saidv frame f'or Vertical adjustment thereon and positionedV with its intake end adjacent said pivotal connection and its discharge end adjacent the other end of said frame, means for feeding comminutedV material tothe intake end of said table, a circular; shallowly-concaved, supplementaryclassi-r Iier, having a diameter substantially equaling the width of said classifying table, hinged at one side to and for agitation with the end of said framze beyond and iny position to receive the material from the discharge end of saidtable, and meansI engaging between said frame and said supple-- mentary classifier to support and adjustably position the latter for actuation through a vertical arc relative tothe former, whereby material fed' to said table is subjected to uniformi agitation longitudinally of the apparatus andy toV simultaneous lateral agitation increasing in amplitude as the separatory aiects progress andthe material approaches the discharge end of the apparatus.

ZOVB'TS' 31. In apparatus'f ofY the character" describedrhaving, a xed base, a frame carried by said base and movable horizontally thereof, pivotal means ixed to said base and' slidingly engag-v thereto, a classifying table carriedv by said frame I for vertical adjustment thereon and arranged with its intake end adjacent said pivotal oonnecti'on and its. discharge end adjacent the other end' of said frame; a plura'lity of uniformly-sized,

semispherical' cups substantiallyI lling the classifying surface of' said table, whereby material passing alongv said table is subjected to more rapid and' more violent agitation as it progresses toward the discharge end thereof, means for feeding comminuted rmaterial to the intake end ofv said" table, a circular, shallcwly-concaved, supplementary classier, having a diameter substantially'equaling the Width of said table, hinged at' one side to and for agitationwith the end of said frame beyond and in position to receive material' from the discharge end ofy said table, andv means engaging between saidv frame andr said supplementary classi'er to support and adjustably position the latter for actuation through a vertical are relative to the former, whereby tailings from said table may be subjected to agitation corresponding` in orbit with andV of greater amplitude and le'ss violence than that imparted by said table.

WALTER PHILIP LAESCH. 

